February 09, (THEWILL) – The governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in Ogun State, Dr. Samuel Adeyemi, on Monday, promised to clear the backlog of pension and gratuity of retirees in the state, within one year in office, if elected.
The State Government, under the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun, is currently paying the pensioners N500 million quarterly, to clear the pension and gratuity backlog it inherited from previous administrations.
But, speaking at the flag-off of his campaign at the party secretariat in Abeokuta, Adeyemi said that he had just left a meeting with the pensioners with a promise that he would pay all the outstanding within 12 months in office.
The gubernatorial candidate, who decried the plight of the aged pensioners, many of whom lack necessary welfare and were suffering from various illnesses, insisted that their pension and gratuity would be paid promptly if elected.
He said, although it Is not easy to pay the money within the period stated, he would travel to meet citizens of the country from Ogun State, who are living abroad, to contribute a certain amount of money between 60 and 85 million dollars, to pay the backlog in a year.
He said, “I just left a meeting with pensioners and I have promised not only will we be very sympathetic to their cost but God has given me a divine arrangement whereby I decided to clear their backlog within a year.
“The government resources will not be able to carry that but hope to go for extra government sources. If as a sitting governor, I will be able to travel overseas to appeal to our citizens to please help us, I have calculated the amount in dollars, it’s just around between 60 and 85 million dollars, that is all the money they are owing them”
“So, I am very optimistic that they should be able to give us 500 dollars or 1000 dollars each and I have told the pensioners that they will be in charge of that account and it will not be a government account and as the money is entering they too will see it. All deductions will be repaid. We will sit down with them and see how we can get it done,” he added.
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